Academic Career Counselor
About The Position
The Academic and Career Counselor plays a central role in supporting youth development within the YMCA of Yonkers Teen Center, a structured year-round program serving youth ages 14–21. This position provides individualized academic and career counseling, facilitates group workshops, and supports youth in developing the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to transition successfully into postsecondary education, vocational training, or the workforce. The role combines direct service, program facilitation, and youth engagement to ensure consistent participation and measurable outcomes aligned with program goals. In addition, this role incorporates structured sports and recreational activities as a youth engagement strategy to build relationships, reinforce life skills, and promote positive development outcomes. Working under the supervision of the Teen Center Program Manager, this position ensures that program delivery is structured, engaging, and aligned with YMCA standards and youth development best practices.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree preferred (Education, Counseling, Human Services, or related field)
- Minimum 2 years of experience working with youth (ages 14–21)
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills
Nice To Haves
- Experience in college access, career readiness, or youth programming preferred
- Experience facilitating workshops or group activities
- Interest or experience in sports or recreational programming preferred
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred
Responsibilities
- Provide individualized academic and career guidance to participants
- Support goal setting, academic planning, and postsecondary pathway development
- Facilitate workshops on resume writing, interview preparation, college applications, FAFSA, financial literacy, and career exploration
- Monitor participant progress and maintain accurate case notes and documentation
- Support completion of readiness milestones such as resumes, applications, and career plans
- Provide postsecondary transition and retention support, including follow-ups and resource referrals
- Maintain ongoing communication with alumni participants to support persistence in education or employment pathways
- Lead Youth Advisory Council activities and incorporate youth voice into programming
- Plan and facilitate structured group workshops aligned with Teen Center goals
- Build strong relationships with youth to support engagement and retention
- Collaborate with program staff to ensure coordinated service delivery
- Support recruitment and retention through outreach and relationship building
- Engage families through communication, workshops, and program updates
- Coordinate and facilitate structured sports and recreational activities
- Use sports to reinforce teamwork, leadership, and conflict resolution
- Support scheduling and use of recreational spaces
- Assist with setup and organization of equipment and activities
- Maintain accurate attendance, participation records, and case documentation
- Ensure timely and consistent data entry
- Track participant progress toward program outcomes
- Support reporting requirements and maintain audit-ready documentation
- Assist with site visits, monitoring, and compliance reviews
- Work collaboratively with program staff to ensure consistent service delivery
- Participate in team meetings, trainings, and quality improvement efforts
- Support program scheduling and activity coordination
- Maintain organized program materials and documentation systems
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Entry Level
